“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
— Marcus Aurelius

A perspective from advanced Mindfulness practice is that wisdom and confusion co-arise, simultaneously from the Openness of possibility. This is called co-emergence. The ground of possibility in already awake with potential solutions, some good, some not good. Noticing how the good / not-so-good arise from Openness sharpens our intelligence and gathers wakeful energy.

Leaders often face intense pressure to decide or choose quickly, when faced with an important decision or choice. The assumption, as the leader, is that you know. You’re in charge. You know what’s best. But, in truth, we often don’t know. There is a palpable tension at the moment of choice. What to choose when A and B both offer comparable benefits? What to do when X and Y decisions both involve risk and uncertainty.

This tension is often uncomfortable. We feel uncertain and at risk. We feel real. Current leadership prose is full with tactics to resolve this uncertainty and risk. This post points at a different approach. Leaders can use this energy and it’s intelligence – rather than trying to make it go away. We can choose to view the tension (obstacle) as a way to harness even greater intelligence and effectiveness.

One, very useful thing to do is pause and consider. The tension of the situation is full with potentially unexplored intelligence. If you can hold off premature deciding or choosing, what more can be known? When do you really have to decide or choose?

Beware the chorus of advice that inevitably will push for a decision now.
There is a moment, in every important decision’s progress, when there is just enough information, the timing is best, and the conditions are right. Waiting for that moment, and allowing best intelligence, conditions and timing to gather are the essential skill for advanced leadership.

Recognizing co-emergence and cultivating the courage to creatively wait for the right moment develops TruePoint.